We humans are a part of the food chain, not just above it. If something is threatening our food source... It's sheer folly not to address it. Unfortunately, a coyote would never understand that "no means no", unlike our toddler and preschooler who are still learning this, but sometimes our preschooler says "no means no!" so he is learning it over time. So I don't think it's a fair comparison, toddler to coyote. Toddler enjoying the lawn isn't destroying the entire lawn, the way this coyote nearly destroyed our entire flock of chickens.

Anyway... Yes, it sucks, but this wasn't so much out of retribution (though slightly was) as out of further prevention. The fact that it was caught a mere 3 days after the original slaughter, means that the trap saved our remaining flock. Thankfully. Our 4.5yo son was DEVASTATED at the loss of most of our chickens, he came running to me. He was with @flemingfarm when he discovered the massacre.

We don't raise a flock so a coyote can come murder them, not even killing for food, this was just for killing. A few would have been for food. 20+ was just for fun, and now what happens when this same coyote sees our 1.5yo in the yard, after it kills all our birds? The toddler is the next target for the coyote's murderous acts, as he's the next smallest thing in the farm, after all the birds would be gone.

Circle of life and all that, we can't just allow this coyote to decimate our farm, because a killer like that, won't stop... Unless it is dispatched, as now has happened. Sad, but, it is what it is...I would rather it be trapped and dispatched, than allow it to work it's way up the food chain on our farm and get our toddler.

I understand empathizing with the animals, but... The animals have no compassion, and in a case like this, I would much rather protect our remaining flock than risk them going through the same horrific death as the rest of the flock. And I definitely would not hesitate to protect our children.